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A different Czech president from Miloš Zeman recently looked back at a busy 2017 and future expansion plans in Africa and the Central America for the near future. Introducing Vít Jedlička, president of the Free Republic of Liberland, the head of state of a seven kilometre square territory on the Danube river between Serbia and Croatia.

In his Christmas message to the nation, President Miloš Zeman highlighted the country’s economic successes, telling Czechs they had much to be proud of. As regards the country’s political future, Miloš Zeman ruled out early elections, telling politicians they would have to play the cards they had been dealt in the elections.

The Czech ombudsman has taken up the case of dozens Chinese Christians who lodged asylum requests in the country on the grounds that they fear persecution at home. Examination of the cases appear to be taking a very long time and the watchdog says it has so far received no replies so far to its request for explanations from the Ministry of Interior.

Juraj Herz’s The Cremator, originally released in 1969, is often regarded as one of the greatest films ever made in Czechoslovakia. Now the dark and disturbing movie set in the late 1930s has just come out in a new Blu-ray edition on the Second Run DVD imprint.

He was dubbed "the Little Mozart" for his skill in orchestrating the midfield and for his prodigious and sometimes spectacular talent. But, like the original Mozart, it was not always easy for Czech footballer Tomáš Rosický, and he has finally blown the whistle on his long playing career.

Temperatures close to zero have got most of us muffled up in scarves and woolly hats, but for the Spartan-living members of the Czech Polar Bears Club it’s a breeze and they work hard to convince others about the benefits of taking cold showers and enjoying a December dip in the Vltava River. Last weekend they engaged in a colorful ceremony of “christening” new members.

Lawmakers in the Chamber of Deputies passed the state budget for 2018 on Tuesday, approving last-minute additions including more funds for social services, farming and food processing. The Social Democrats who led the previous government which put the proposal in motion, expressed satisfaction there would also be brighter days ahead for education. Not all are happy, however, over the proposed deficit.

Czechs have marked six years since the death of the country’s first president and the icon of the Velvet Revolution Václav Havel. Commemorative acts took place in Prague and Brno as well as in Hrádeček, the president’s beloved country retreat, where he died on December 18, 2011.

The newly-appointed minority government of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has approved its policy program. The prime minister will now negotiate with all parliamentary parties in view of winning their support or tolerance in a vote of confidence next month.

Europe’s leading anti-immigration parties gathered in Prague at the weekend for a conference aimed at coordinating their policies and rallying anti-EU, anti-immigration forces on the continent. On their way into the heavily fortified hotel on the outskirts of Prague they were booed by hundreds of demonstrators chanting “shame” and “NO to fascism, populism and xenophobia”.